MSNBC's Lawrence O’Donnell spoke to Sen. Rob Portman, who played the role of President Obama during Mitt Romney's debate-prep sessions, to discuss the candidates' performances in Denver and what to expect in the next two debates.
"The dynamic of the race changes," Portman said following the big political event. "Gov. Romney did so well and was able to talk about the future in a way that was persuasive to undecided voters — but there are three debates." He suggested Obama was off his game in the first go-around.
"I thought he seemed a little uncomfortable, to be honest," he said. "As president, you're not used to getting asked questions, whether it's by Jim Lehrer, or Lawrence O’Donnell, or Mitt Romney."
Some Democrats, including Obama adviser David Axelrod, argued Romney's admission that he would, in fact, turn Medicare into a voucher program was a major victory for the president. But Portman didn't think so.
"Mitt Romney did a really good job pointing out that [his Medicare plan] doesn't affect seniors who are currently on Medicare, at all. In fact, it doesn't affect folks who are near Medicare. But for those who are younger than that, they’ll have a choice."
Portman said he plans to continue debate-prep sessions with Romney through the third debate. When asked about the second, town-hall style debate, Portman conceded "it was a good format for President Obama."
Which candidate stole the show with a better performance? Take our Last Word poll now.
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Is everyone completely blind to why Obama had such a lackluster out-of-focus low energy debate?
IT WAS HIS 20TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!
TO MICHELLE OBAMA!!!
And who on the President's advisory team is going to tell him what every football coach and boxing trainer tell their young men before a Big Event???
"Uh, Mr. President. Maybe celebrate your anniversary AFTER the debate?"
RIGHT!
And Romney knew it. Look at him. He could smell the sex still on Barry. He's a Mormon. With a history of polygamy, Mormon men have been there...at some time...based on the laws of probability. Like a jackel or coyote or wolverine he waited and watched his weakened adversary, then attacked..always smiling .
Obama is honorable and expected his opponent to be honorable also. It's a mistake that he keeps making with Republicans, who are his adversaries, and it's something he has to wake up from. The Republican party has just about drummed out every elected honorable politician they had. Those who aren't willing to sale-out their constituents for the party line, get ripped out of the party or they step down because they can no longer handle the BS. It's unfortunate, but the voters will have to actually check the facts and make a difference in their party. They can't rely on the moderators or media to do it for them.
Actually, Obama won because he showed restaint in the face of lies and did not give Mitt a chance to lie his way out of the 47% mess or most of his other lies. Many of my favorite pundits lost because they didn't see the strategic moves. They wanted a dramatic fight, but Barack plays the long game. Seems like the best thing to do with a wobbly jello is let it wobble--and let the public see how desparately phoney he is. The President looked directly into the camera at key moments. Mitt was watching Obama--and Barack would flash a smile whenever he got Mitt to commit another error. ------ R=Rule by the Rich
The Spring and Summer infamously lying set of attack adds the Obama campaign utilized to tear down the public's perceptions of Romney being a successful busineman and former Governor (credentials Obama could not match, of course) tells you who is the honorable man that stood before us Wednesday Night. And Obama knew that he also took a hit by having used that tactic, as his "likeability" numbers lost 12 points by doing so in just 4 months.
Instead of taking on Wall Street, Mitt took on Sesame Street.
This was so weird. Mitt seemed to be twisting into a pretzel to say agreeable sounding generalities--even agreeing with Obama (!) which his base will hate. Seemed like he was desparate to be liked. Then he inexplicably goes after a popular TV show that kids and parents love. Huh? Seemed a stupid gaff to me. Made no sense.
Remember Ali........ this is a rope a dope moment.....Mitt was suckered in last night
That was how this PA progressive small business owner read it. Lawrence got it right tonight: We won't know for sure until the voters decide. Nevertheless, It seemed a smart strategy to give the jello guy all the rope he needed to hang himself--and he did. I was rather disappointed with Rachel, Ed, and Chris Matthews for not doing a more thoughtful analysis. Thought Rev. Al got it right: Romney did the best he could, but not good enough. His wobbly lies and desparate desire to be agreeable revealed his weakness. Barack hit him with a subtle tap: You haven't shown the ability to say No to the right. R=Rule by the Rich
Rope a dope by Obama without the ability to land a knockout punch, I'd say, fool!
Remember Ali...this is a rope dope monent....Romney was just sucked in to the trap
Saying it twice doesn't make it true, fool!
Maybe he was sizing up his opponent and letting him make a fool of himself.
Americans remember the words of our math teachers-"Show your work",otherwise they did not trust that you knew how to actually solve the problem.
There is no way Romney can lower taxes for the wealthy without sticking it to the 99%.
Mittens- your fuzzy math just doesn't cut it-SHOW US YOUR WORK!
2012 First Presidential debate:
The general consensus is that Governor Mitt Romney won last night’s debate. However, he may have won the debate at the expense of rejecting his own party’s ideology. I must confess I wasn’t expecting Romney’s responses to be so far to the left that he aligned himself more with the Democratic Party’s principles. He emphatically said that in his first day in office as President he would repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), but when asked what he would replace it with, he said he would replace it with something that sounded very similar to his Massachusetts health care bill. Wouldn’t it be more expeditious and cost effective to leave Obamacare as is?
Romney, a strong opponent to hiring more teachers, had a surprising change of heart last night by suggesting he would hire 2 million teachers by using funds from Obama’s $90 Billion Green Energy program. Great, who needs clean energy!
Romney’s performance was great for a Democrat, contemptible
for a Republican.
EZ Republican Math: Give all $ to top 1%. R = RULE BY THE RICH ... VOTE D!
Billionaires are doing great--but some are complaining. The problem: The middle class has it too good. The right-wing fat-cats want us all desparate for work at any wage--"competitive" with Chinese workers. "It's so hard to find good help these days," don't cha know. It's not about them making more. It's about us making less. That gives them POWER. The secret arithmetic isn't all that complicated.
And, yes, Romney tried to fool people into seeing him as a friend of the middle class by debating as a moderate--after campaigning as a "Severe Conservative."
Leaving their money in the hands of capitalists and private sector investors is not "giving them money". The amazing oddity of thought that Democrats and Socialists display is that they speak of other people's money as the "government's money". It isn't, and it never was, and it never will be.
Obama is a loser.He brain washes the dumb left,and keeps giving them the kool-aid,and they keep drinking it.Just another Jim Jones.
Way to go AV 318! And the Kool-aid = $$. I'd take that @!$%# too if I weren't "entitled". Work for it, earn it, deserve it.
Check out the mistakes on both sides.
I think what President Obama did is genius. He did what he always does with Republicans, he lets the Conservative monkeys have enough rope to hang themselves with. Romney told debate lie after lie after LIE, and now it's up to average Americans to help Obama/Biden call him on it… spoact.blogspot.com
CAN I GET A WITNESS?
A poor woman came up to Mitt with a baby in her arms and asked: "Can you help us Mitt Romney?" … Yes said Mitt (he handed her a brochure from the Mormon church. Beautiful Ann gave them a hug while watching the cameras)
There has been a long, slow slide in the fortunes of Barrack Obama, and that showed in his lack of vitality, his reticence, and his demeanor on Wednesday night. The adoring media of 2008 is now taking another harder look at this man, and we just aren't going to have the walk down the primrose path with this skilled politician, but unskilled leader to Nov 6th, and a proforma relection. The battle is joined, and it is between the two candidates, and not the incumbent Democrat Presiident Obama and the liberal media pitted against the Republican nominee Romney. 67 million interested people tuned in, and saw the debate with their own eyes and ears. It's a new ball game, folks.
Obama roped a dope! This was just round one.
Obama roped a dope! This was just round one.
Maybe the President was just sizing up his opponent and letting him run his mouth to see how far he would dig his own hole.
My conspiracy theory: I think Obama was threatened by some powerful media figure to lose this debate so the race stays exciting and the media doesn't lose audience over the next month. Or maybe by some business man who wants Romney to win.
Obama is way too smart to give away a debate like this. There must have been some pressure from outside...
The blatantly unprofessional idolatry of the media contributed to Obama’s poor performance. The Times, MSNBC, Huff Post and hundreds of others have lied so much they began believing their own lies. Most important, Obama and close Obama advisors believed them. The lies floated to the surface during the first debate.
Hi, Lawrence. Now that the dust has somewhat settled on that debate nonsense, I want to tell you how much I admired the cool-headed assessments given by yourself and Rev. Al Sharpton of President Obama's debate performance.
Yes, this was Romney's big moment after all he has done to frankly embarrass himself all year long. The huge swings that reveal there is really not that much substance at the core. Taking credit for implementing a health insurance plan in his state while Governor, then declaring the same thing deserving of full repeal when instituted for the country under the name Affordable Care Act, the excuse being given that what is great for one state is disaster for the entire country.
Says who? This is just a political game under the same agenda the Republican House has been following with the stated intention of defeating anything Barack Obama does. Yes, that is what my tax dollars are helping to pay their salaries to do, play games with the country so they can advance the agenda of a few.
Look at the debate reruns again. Romney stood there with a pasted-on mask-like smile and looked like he was trying to cover a lot of nervousness, eg., if Obama had brought up the 47% tape, knowing that it makes him look particularly unsuitable to be the President of the United States.
Obama is after all the President, at least at this time, and must be conscious of this fact at all times. I for one would not want to see the President come out with responses to Romney's childish behavior and precipitating a Jerry Springer type of scene to the detriment of the country. After all, events in the Middle East call for a cool head at the helm, not some clown.
I applaud and admire Barack Obama as never before after his presidential showing at the debate, and as for Romney, I find even less to appreciate about him, insofar as the new reversals on his positions once again.
Just finished watching the SENATE debate IN Conn. betwwen LINDA and MURPHY, and Linda got her A$$ whipped. The thing MURPHY did best was call her on all her lies and no answers to any questions?